28th February, 2015
Local fish farmers in Adamawa State have raised the alarm over rampant raids of their fish ponds by thieves.
The farmers in separate interviews with NAN on Saturday in Yola complained that the thieves were threatening their means of livelihood.
Mr Simon Yahya, a farmer from Kang La village in Demsa Local Government Area complained that two of his ponds were raided by thieves in January 2015.
Yahya explained that the thieves carried out their act at night when people were asleep.
“In January this year, I lost no less than 3, 000 cat fish from two of my ponds to the thieves,” Yahya said, adding that such threat may lead to their abandoning fish farming.
Similarly, Alhaji Musa Gambo and Mr Gideon Gambo, both brothers and fish farmers, from Hayin Gada in Girei Local Government area also complained about their losses to thieves.
The elder Gambo, Gideon, said that from December 2014 to date, the marauders had raided their ponds, located at the bank of River Benue, six times.
“The way and time these ponds were raided made us suspicious that some of our colleagues were involved in the shoddy business.
“From December last year to date six of our ponds were raided and we lost uncountable number of fish,” he lamented.
Gambo noted that those carrying out the operation were experts, who knew the terrain very well.
He said that they had made reports to the police in the area, but that no arrest had been made.
Another farmer, Madam Jummai Haruna , a widow from Wuro Bokki village in Fufore Local Government area, told NAN that she had used proceeds from the two canoes and four fish ponds she inherited from her late husband, to cater for her three children.
According to her, the thieves have over the last three years always raided the ponds once it is time for harvest, thereby making life difficult for her family.
The affected farmers complained that their monthly income had drastically dropped to between 30 to 35 per cent.
They claimed that they were earning between N130,000 to N200,000 naira monthly, but now could barely put together N40,000 naira in a month
They called on the authorities concerned to come to their aid by protecting them from the activities of the hoodlums.
When contacted, the Head of Fishery Department, State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Ibrahim Stephen said that his department was aware of the problem.
“The department is aware about cases of fish-theft and the ministry is making progress in curtailing the situation,” Stephen said.